Scheming
Lau An calls 120 on her cellphone, the sound of sirens can be heard in the distance. There is a circle of people surrounding Chen Jianyu lying on the ground. He opens his eyes while rubbing the back of his head, seeing the crowd around him his eyes flash an ominous light, Lau An can see his anger. “Why don't you people go about our business, he is fine.” her voice is shaking because he still appears dazed.
The crowd slowly disperses mumbling about the identity of the man on the ground. Chen Jianyu's head was tilted to the side hidden by Lau An kneeling over him so they couldn't see him clearly.They assume the man must be important, the clothes he is wearing look expensive. One man walking to the bus asks his friend, "Do you think he the target of an assassination attempt?"
"It looks like it, let's go before the police arrive, I need to get to work."
As the crowd is leaving an ambulance and police cars arrive, only a few people stop to stare. Chen Jiangyu tries to stand up but he feels lightheaded, did I hit my head when that damned clumsy woman fell into me. He looks around furious LiMei knocked him onto the ground. Through clenched teeth he growls, “Where is she!”
Lau An doesn't know who he means, when she rushed out he was lying on the ground there was no woman nearby. “Who?”
He furrows his brows, glaring at Lau An, “The little bitch that fell into me!” He sits on the ground he can't remember the last time he was so pissed off by someone. His head is pounding, how is he going to meet the investors at 9 o'clock. Using all his internal strength he stands up looking around, when I find you dead girl don't even think of getting away from my punishment.
“I didn't see anyone. Jianyu,people were saying someone was shooting at you, if you hadn't fallen down...” , Lau An wonders who he upset this time with his arrogant behavior.
“What did you just say?”
“I heard two men talking a bullet hit the waste bin over there”, she points behind them. He walks over looking at the bullet hole. Song Yichen, you fucking moron, he laughs out loud, you are so incompetent you couldn't even hire a decent assassin. Just wait until the next board meeting, you and your scheming mother will pay the price for this. He takes his cellphone out of his pocket, “Get over to Morning Glory Cafe immediately, I need you to clean a mess up.”
Two doctors rush over towards Chen Jianyu, they recognize him immediately as the CEO of Hushang Group, they cautiously approach him any misstep could cost them their licenses. “CEO Chen”, they bow deeply, “Please we should go to the hospital to give you a full examination.”
“Get lost.”
The doctors look at each other without moving, what should they do. Chen Jianyu straightens out his clothes brushing off the dirt, “I said get out of here, and if you mention anything about this incident, don't think you will ever practice in Pushong City again.”
A policeman hesitantly walks over, what kind of report should he file, before he can take out his notebook Chen Jianyu pats him on the shoulder, “ Dong He, no need to document this minor incident, I have my men coming we will take it from here.”
“But CEO Chen the commissioner will want me..” Before he can finish his sentence, Chen Jianyu places several banknotes in his hand, “Isn't Huifen's birthday coming up, you should take her to a resort this year.” Dong He went to high school with this Young Master, he is aware whether he takes the money or not, Chen Jianyu will do it his way. “Thanks, just make sure your men pass on the evidence to the department.” He knows Chen Jianyu will do as he wants, his family controls seventy per cent of all the commerce in the city, even though there are problems, he can see the bullet hole in the trash container, they handle it within the family.
“Lau An, I'm going to wait in your office until my men arrive.”
“I will get you some tea.”
“No, bring me in a double espresso” He will have to do some damage control now that he needs to cancel the meeting. Damn that idiot Yichen doesn't he know they will lose millions if he doesn't negotiate the terms of the agreement with the Zhao Conglomerate! It was probably his mother's idea, he wouldn't have the balls to hire an assassin, but that scheming bitch would.
He lays down on the couch in Lau An's office waiting for his men to arrive. She comes in with the espresso and an ice pack for his head. “Jianyu you really should go to the hospital, head injuries can be serious.”
Chen Jianyu touches his neck where LiMei hit him, “It's odd my neck hurts more than my head, he takes the ice pack placing it on his neck. You worry too much An.”
“Send Wang Li here when he arrives.”
He lays there thinking about the girl from earlier, what a clumsy girl falling into him not once but twice. I guess I was lucky she knocked me over, still she should have stayed to see how I was. No manners whatsoever, I need to find her and teach her a lesson.
“Boss, I told you it wasn't a good idea to come here everyday alone. It makes it easy for people to know your routine which makes you vulnerable.'
Chen Jianyu scowls, “Are you reprimanding me Wang Li?”
“No, of course not.” Beads of sweat start forming on his forehead. “What did you need?”
“The trash bin outside should have a bullet in it, find it then trace it. Get rid of the trash bin, squelch any news reports that might surface about the attempt on my life. I don't need our stocks falling. Lastly check the CV cameras from both sides of the street, the assassin must have been on the roof of the department store, also some girl fell into me, find her.”
“Yes Boss, Peng Wei will drive you back to the mansion, I will send someone to pick up your car.”
“I'm going to lay here for awhile then go to the hotel,Lau An can drive me. I don't want to return to the mansion until I have more details about what happened. Under no circumstances tell my father about this or anyone else for that matter. Go.”
Chen Jiayu looks at his watch 8:35, the Zhao's representatives should be heading to the meeting, what should he say. He dials a number, “Nuying, cancel the meeting with the Zhao Conglomerate, I'm trusting you to give them a viable excuse.” He hangs up quickly, Nuying has been his executive secretary for six years and has never failed him. Her beautiful face is probably turning bright red right now as her anger boils up,but she will get it done, he doesn't pay her six figures for nothing. He closes his eyes, what a disastrous morning.
LiMei arrives at the corporate headquarters of the Hushang Group, she gets off the bus looking around for a store she can buy stockings. Down on the left is a small boutique, they probably carry them, she hurries over, looking at her watch she has a half hour before the interview. When she enters she realizes this must be a high end store, the clothes are exclusive brand names, a few women are looking at clothes that appear quite wealthy.
There is no time to search for a less expensive store, she asks the salesgirl where she might find stockings. The salesgirl appraising her outfit, looks at her skinned knee, with an unconcealed look of disgust on her face. She is thinking LiMei most likely can't afford the stockings here, they only carry designer products. The salesgirl smiles pointing to the corner of the store, while approaching a woman and a girl about LiMei's age.
“Mrs. Song we have some new arrivals I haven't put on display yet that would be perfect for your daughter.”
“Very good we are attending a party at the Lau's on Saturday, so Lanying needs an evening gown.” The three of them walk to the rear room. LiMei couldn't help but notice the salesgirl's change of face dealing with the mother daughter pair. It's true money talks, she laughs to herself, the woman looks like a dried prune face and the girl, well it is a good thing she is rich.
LiMei stares at the price of the stockings, Holy shit! That is half a month's rent, well I need this job. She picks up the stockings and waits at the register, where is that salesgirl, she glances at her watch, I can't be late. Another salesgirl strolls over acting as if LiMei is air, she is starting to get ticked at these girls, they are just salesgirls why are they so snotty. Earlier they had offered bottled water to the woman and her daughter, if she could have a bottle she could wipe off her knee before putting on the stockings.
She pulls out her credit card, after she pays she asks if she can have a bottle of water, reluctantly the girl hands her one. LiMei is starting to lose patience, she would like to give a palm strike to the haughty salesgirl to send her to the back wall,this salesgirl points to where they are located. While LiMei is changing she can hear voices in the next room.
“Mom, I don't want to! I don't even like that iceberg! I want to marry Lau Xue!”
“Listen to me brat, we failed today now I need a new plan to get that bastard under my control. If you drug him and he takes your virginity the old man will make him marry you.”
LiMei can't help but listen, this drama is like out of a soap opera she watches.
“Mom, Lau Xue is rich why does it need to be him?”
LiMei can hear a loud slap echo in the next room and a woman's shrill voice, “You stinky girl! You will do as I say or I will beat you to death.”
LiMei forgets she is supposed to be hurrying to get to the interview, she dabs her knee with the water waiting to hear what's next. Oh my! That prune face is ruthless!
“How am I to do it, he doesn't even like me either.”
“Tonight my informant told me he will be staying at the Crescent Moon Hotel. I will have the waiter slip it into his drink. The room card will be given to you after the drug takes effect then you will let yourself into his room. Don't mess it up, or we could all be out on the street one day.”
“I will do it but you need to buy me that silver dress with the diamond chips sewn into it for the party Saturday night.”
“Fine I will go pay now, let's go.”
LiMei finishes putting on her stockings as she leaves the dressing room she sees the woman and daughter pair at the counter. She shivers shaking her head, she can see the woman's hand print on her daughter's face.I don't even know who that guy is but I feel sorry for him being schemed by those two.
Running down the street she makes it into the corporate headquarters as the interviewers are calling out the first group. She doesn't hear her name so she decides to go to the washroom to freshen her makeup. LiMei only applies a tiny bit of lip gloss, she pinches her cheeks for a little color, one thing she must say even though her father is the worst, her mother was a beauty and luckily she inherited her mother's beautiful skin and fair looks.
She sighs..Mom I miss you..well...no time for feeling sorry for myself it feels strange looking at this person's reflection in the mirror, black hair, deep almost black eyes from the contacts. Haha..no one would suspect I had blond hair a week ago and my eyes are hazel, I look like a completely different person now! She pulls her skirt down a bit more to cover her knee, smooths her hair.
Ready!
She looks in the mirror making two tiny fists, "Fighting!"